The Lord’s prayer is a foundational, critical part of my faith. I pray it pretty much every day – sometimes multiple times per day – or at least parts of it. I figure if this was Jesus’ response when asked how we should pray, perhaps its the best way I can pray.
But even more deeply, the Lord’s prayer is a beautiful cry for God to become real in our day and in our world. The desire for God’s kingdom to come is perhaps the most powerful line for me and has dramatically shaped my life. I pray it every day – for myself, sure, but for all of us – that we may catch the vision of the fullness of the Kingdom and see it coming ever-more each day.
Sometimes I like to break each section down – so here’s a few extra prompts to help you pray today:
We cry out and recognize God is Holy and sovereign. In this, we remember God is big enough to handle anything we may be facing:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
We invite God’s work in the world – in and through us. We seek how we can be “kingdom-bringers” today:
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
We ask for provision – of body, mind and spirit. Whatever you need today – whether material, physical, mental, emotional, relational – ask for it:
Give us this day our daily bread.
We repent and ask for forgiveness. We quickly rehearse our sins and allow his grace to wash them away for the day. We ask for the grace to forgive others:
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
We ask for help to live well, and avoid the snares of the evil one. He and his minions are so crafty:
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil the one.
We declare the eternal power and beauty of his kingdom, and the victory he’s already won:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Joel
Joel Searby
